Coast Lily

Description

Lilium maritimum is a perennial herb usually exceeding a meter in height and known to exceed two meters at times. Specimens from coastal bluffs and similar harsh habitats are much smaller. The plant grows from a scaly, elongated bulb several centimeters long. The oval leaves are mostly basal, with some located in several whorls about the stem. They may reach 18 centimeters long. The inflorescence bears up to 13 large, nodding flowers. The flower is bell-shaped with 6 tepals with tips recurved or curled tightly back. The tepals are up to 5 centimeters long and red to orange, usually with spots. There are 6 stamens with large red anthers sometimes over a centimeter long, and a pistil which may be over 3 centimeters in length.